Yuuko's Return
by xxxBayonettaHolic
Summary: Yuuko Ichihara...the name haunts Watanuki's mind and feelings. Suddenly a customer appears with a strange request...coincidence? Rated K . Reviews appriciated.
1. Yuuko

Summary: Since Yuko Ichihara's inevitable death, Watanuki Kimihiro has been waiting for her to come back. But what if one day Yuko revisits him in a dream?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own xxxHolic or any of its characters. They belong to CLAMP.

"Is Watanuki awake yet?" Maru said.

"Is Watanuki awake yet?" Moro said

Watanuki smiled warmly at Maru and Moro. "Yes I'm awake. You two will have to help me cook our breakfast, clean the shop, and prepare snacks…. A customer is coming today"

"Okay!" Maru and Moro said in unison as they started their chores.

"I heard snacks which can only led to one thing….SAKE!" Mokona exclaimed in the background.

The trio headed to the kitchen, leaving Watanuki by himself. 'It's strange not seeing Yuko around anymore… it's been 50 years I'm sure this feeling will pass, like it always does' Watanuki thought to himself as he grabbed one of Yuko's kimono and imagined her wearing it with a mischievous smile on her face that screamed ' sake, now Watanuki!'. This bittersweet memory made him smile for a brief moment until he sensed a customer coming into the store. It seems the customer came earlier than expected.

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><p>"Welcome to the shop!" Maru and Moro greeted the guest in unison.<p>

"Oh thank you" The customer replied.

"The Master's.." Maru said.

"been expecting you" Moro said, finishing the sentence.

"I see.." the customer said.

"Welcome to my shop, shall I grant your wish?" Watanuki greeted the customer but stopped suddenly as he saw her features.

She looked so much like Yuko, with her long black hair that reaches her ankles, bangs that are cut just above her eyes, a slender figure, and an outfit that matches the mystery in her eyes. It seems she noticed Watanuki's stare as she followed Maru and Moro to the Western styled room. Watanuki soon followed after them, stunned at the resemblance.

"I really don't know why I'm here…I felt drawn to coming her…and what do you mean by 'granting my wish'?" the woman asked with confusion.

"The fact that you are here means that there's a wish you desperately want granted and as I said I am able to grant that wish as long as it's within my power" Watanuki calmly answered to ease the woman's confusion. It seems the woman only has Yuko's looks, or maybe something else.

Shortly after, silence filled the room. The woman locked her eyes at Watanuki as if examining him. Or maybe…trying to find something hidden in his features.

"So please tell me your wish" Watanuki cooly said.

"I wish to…once again see a person very dear to me" the woman requested.

"I will need proper compensation, only then will your wish be granted" Watanuki informed her.

The woman thought and said, "I will be back with the compensation".

"Very well then" Watanuki said wondering what kind of item the woman might bring.

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><p>The woman left and the proper preparations were done with the help of Maru, Moro, and Mokona. Watanuki prepared himself for what was coming next. A feeling swept over Watanuki, it felt like deep sadness and nostalgia. He couldn't be bothered by his feelings right now so he again shrugged it off. He then felt the customer's return.<p>

"I have my payment ready" the woman said. She handed over a beautiful purple kimono with a butterfly designs on the bottom and a black butterfly on the obi (sash).

"I suppose this will do" Watanuki said in approval, "rest assured that tonight you will see the person you want to see the most".

The woman started heading home and looked back at the shop with a soft smile on her face.

"Maru, Moro I need both of you to take care of Mokona and the shop while I take care of our customer's problem okay?" Watanuki requested as he started the task he was asked to do.

"Okaaaay~" Maru and Moro said.

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><p>Darkness was all Watanuki can see, the air felt as if it's frozen, nothing was heard, but a familiar scent filled the air and suddenly Watanuki was infront of a sakura tree. Then he recognized a woman in the kimono he received for compensation earlier. The woman, he thought, was the customer. She recognized him and smiled at his direction. A sudden feeling of nostalgia hit Watanuki once more, even stronger than before. Afraid of waking up and ruining the task he tried to bury the feelings that tried to surface within him. He wanted to say something to the woman but she placed a finger on his mouth. Watanuki suddenly felt a sharp, cutting pain on his cheek, and then he saw blood dripping from his cheek to his chin. Drawn to his blood demons and ghosts swarmed Watanuki. Coming prepared for this occasion, Watanuki tried to grab a talisman Doumeki gave him only to figure out it wasn't there. He ran away from the ghosts and demons only to see that he was running further and further away from the woman. Acknowledging the fact that he went the wrong way, Watanuki turned around and started running towards the woman. The ghosts and demons wouldn't give up the chase after his blood so, in the thought of him dying, Watanuki pictured the person he wanted to see the most…Yuko Ichihara. The woman drew a magic circle and suddenly as quickly as they came the ghosts and demons were gone. Confusion, melancholy, regret, relief, and the feeling of longing resurfaced themselves in Watanuki's heart.<p>

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><p>"Y-Yuko-san..?" Watanuki managed to choke out of shock.<p>

"Shocked to see me my little Watanuki?" Yuko asked as she made her famous grin.

"The customer…I thought…it was…a coincidence…" Watanuki said while tears started to cloud his eyes.

"Watanuki, there is no such thing as a coincidence in this world only the inevitable" Yuko said as she signaled Watanuki to straighten up.

"I've missed you so much Yuko-san".

"I've missed you too Watanuki" .

"Yuko…this is a dream isn't it?...".

"I won't lie to you Watanuki because I care about you, this is in fact reality".

Watanuki woke up to an over joyed Maru and Moro.

"The Mistress is back!" Maru exclaimed.

"The Mistress is back!" Moro exclaimed.

"So it really wasn't a dream….where is she right now?" Watanuki asked in happiness.

"In the Western styled room" Mokona answered, "she wants to see you"

"Watanuki…" Yuko began, looking outside through the window.

"Y-Yes?" Watanuki gulped.

"I'm home.." Yuko finished and turned her gaze to Watanuki.

"Welcome home…Yuko-san" Watanuki said as he looked at the woman in front of him.

He was glad to have her back and everything returned to the way they used to be…like she never even left...

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><p><strong>AN:** Sorry if it's not as great it was kind of rushed. Even so hope you guys enjoyed it. Please review and tell me this you want me to fix.


	2. Encounter

**A/N:** I know it's been awhile guys but those of you who follow this story are all great. I'd like to express my thanks for the support and without it I don't think I would've continued this story. Anyways I will be updating frequently but keep in mind the chapters will be short but hey at least it's something right? anyways as always...**Enjoy!**

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><p>"Yuuko-san, do you mind if we sit down and talk for a little bit?" Watanuki asked with caution. Since her return, he has studied the way Yuuko carried herself. The way she would walk around the shop with her foot lightly touching the floor almost as if she was floating, the way her ebony hair gently swung from side to side when she wore it down and, the way her voice was so light and free of worries. It's been a few days and he couldn't believe it. It was her! It was Yuuko! The days he's hopelessly counted after she left ceased only a few days ago. The sight of her still made his heart race so fast he thought it might literally run away. Happiness filled his entire being as the woman who had taught him so much not only about the supernatural but also about himself was sitting right across from him looking as fashionable as always. Still, in the deepest recesses of his mind he's had his suspicions. Something was off he hadn't seen it right away but something about this woman was a shade off.<p>

"I-it's really you right?" Watanuki managed to choke out still in a disbelief state. He discreetly pinched himself to make sure he was in fact not dreaming even though it's been a few days.

"Did you get enough sleep Watanuki? Of course it's me" Yuuko-san said with a smile. Her eyes fluttered as she leaned in to further study Watanuki's face. Happiness and uncertainty were apparent in his face and Yuuko took note of this.

"Well…it's just that you haven't explained what happened and why you're here. I mean, I've spent most of the 50 years you were gone searching for some way to bring you back but it's the same where ever I look…" Watanuki said while hanging his head down and continued, "….once you lose someone to death there's no way of bringing them back". His expression quickly filled with sadness upon recalling the events before her return. It was a quiet afternoon and in their conversation it seemed as if the whole world was silenced.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that but what's important is that I'm here now. Details can be such bothersome things" Yuuko said coldy as she turned away from the boy and diverted her attention towards the sky.

After a short pause Yuuko continued, "I've discovered that nothing in the world is an absolute truth for everything around us is described by mere human definitions". Watanuki looked up and searched her shrouded eyes and tried to find out the meaning of her words.

"Yuuko-san, it's 3 o'clock! Sake time! Watanuki you go make some snacks" Mokona bursted disrupting the conversation.

"Oh yay! Watanuki be a dear and prepare my favorite please~" Yuuko, in a completely different tone, chimed.

"Huh? Sure..." Watanuki responded still in deep in thought trying to figure out what Yuuko could've done. They both stood up and went their separate ways. Yuuko went off to the front yard and Watanuki proceeded to the kitchen to prepare snacks. Life was normal but now he has so many questions for her.

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><p><strong>AN:**Thank you for reading and please continue to support me!


	3. Off

Off

Her footsteps, her laughs, her smiles, or simply the way she looks at the world was never meant to come back. Yuuko Ichihara my beloved mentor and friend was no longer in this time. She was gone wasn't she? But through chances and surprises she was back and in my life and I've never felt happier.

_So e ing's wr ng. _

No, nothing's wrong Yuuko is Yuuko and she's back but still.

"Watanuki! Be a dear and whip up some snacks will you? I'm dying over here" the constant whine of Yuuko badgered.

"Sure but with the constant snacking don't get mad at me if you hurt your stomach again." I replied and upon noticing the black plush doll hurriedly said, "Mokona! Quit it with the booze already. It'll be a bit before Doumeki can shop for us again"

"Awww fine" Mokona said in defeat and with a sigh dropped the sake bottle leaving a mess for me to clean up.

_T i gs ar di f rent._

The days since Yuuko's return played just like this. The nonchalant carefree atmosphere in the wish granting shop occured on a daily basis and I enjoyed every bit of it. Everything seems right but I can't help but feel weird. It's probably those weird sea urchins Yuuko made me try. I swear that woman will be the death of me.

"Watanuki! Watanuki! Come play with us" Maru and Moro exclaimed with harmonized unision.

"Sure what would you like to play?" Maru and Moro have always been so full of childish innocence but over the years I've found them to be as mysterious as their mistress.

"Hide - and-" Maru started.

"-Seek!" Moro finished. The siblings giggled while looking up at Watanuki with beady eyes.

"Alright I'll play"

I closed my eyes "1 - 2 - 3..." and allowed Maru and Moro 1 minute to finish hiding. I searched the western styled room around a corner Maru normally hides by. No luck. I headed over to the kitchen where Moro loves to hide around the counter. Still no luck.

_Not m nt to be here_

After a long agonizing 10 minutes of locating the girls the last place I checked was Yuuko's old room. I haven't been here in awhile and while I knew the contents of the room by heart I was overwhelmed with an indescribably horrid feeling as I reached for the sliding door's knob. What I saw next left me breathless.

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><p>A beautiful purple kimono with butterflies and a black sash was displayed by Yuuko's bed. This kimono it can't be. I've seen it somewhere before but I can't remember where. I found myself gasping for air as it seems my lungs were collapsing and my heart breaking to many pieces. Why? Why is this happening.<p>

"Y-Yuuko! help me!" everything became a blur as I was swallowed in the abyss of despair. Tears streamed uncontrollably from my face and I couldn't make sense of what was happening.

Long slender arms reached out to aid me and pulled me to an embrace.


End file.
